I visited the best holiday park in the UK that’s right next to the beach – with free booze and West End-style shows

HERE’s what it’s like to stay at the best holiday park in the UK – it has all-inclusive breaks, free booze, and West End-style shows.

Research from the consumer champions Which? recently revealed the best holiday park in the UK.

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Potters Resorts was named the best holiday park in the country[/caption]

HOPE BROTHERTON

One of my favourite activities had to be a walk along the Norfolk Coast[/caption]

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A survey of more than 1,700 guests from British holiday parks revealed which places families should head to to get the most out of their trips this year.

Holidaymakers were asked about their experiences at UK holiday parks over the last two years, getting them to rate their stays on eleven different criteria, including quality of accommodation, customer service, cleanliness, facilities and activities, and value for money.

An overall score was then worked out for each resort, based on overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend other people.

Potters Resorts was named the highest-rated among park-goers, with a customer score of 87 per cent – and it’s easy to see why.

The holiday park has been welcoming guests for more than 100 years, and has two all-inclusive resorts in Essex and Norfolk.

I visited the Hopton-on-Sea site in Norfolk last September, and it’s safe to say I was very much impressed.

When I sat down for my first evening meal in the huge dining hall, it was my server Dawn who easily convinced me to upgrade my drinks order to a carafe of white wine – one each for myself and my boyfriend that is.

Arguably, it was a fairly easy task given that the drinks are completely free at Potters Resorts.

This is because the lesser-known holiday park is all-inclusive, which means everything is included in the initial price tag.

Once guests have paid for their holiday to Potters, they can safely leave their purses and wallets inside their rooms – which is exactly what I did.

Daytime activities are also included in the initial outlay – and there’s plenty on offer, from action-packed rally karting, laser clay shooting and Segway rides to the more laid-back craft workshops and daytime quizzes.

Even with our sore heads from a boozy first night, we opted for archery and air rifle classes, led by friendly (and above all) patient, instructors.

Each class lasts for 30 minutes and with numbers capped to keep the group sizes small, you can properly hone your technique – we were sending arrows and pellets soaring in no time.

There’s also a golf course, gym, swimming pool, hot tub and sauna on site but one of my favourite activities had to be the coastal walk, with the fresh sea air blowing away the cobwebs.

We also spent a fair bit of time sampling the food because meal times at Potters are serious business.

Three-course feasts are served at both lunch and dinner, with the a la carte menu accompanied by a buffet of carveries, curries and a salad bar, so you can eat until your stomach is content.

And if you’re still not full after all that food, a supper is served at 11pm in the Gallery Restaurant – think sausage rolls and cheese spreads.

My server Dawn easily convinced me to upgrade my drinks order to a carafe of white wine

When it comes to post- dinner entertainment, the resort’s Atlas Theatre is the place to be.

It’s a breeding ground for the West End, with the likes of TV actor Lee Mead, who starred in BBC casting show Any Dream Will Do, starting out at the ­holiday park.

Every evening the troupe of performers take to the stage in the resort’s two-storey auditorium where they perform a medley of tracks – I particularly enjoyed Born in the USA.

But before the musical shows can get under way, the comedy team puts the audience through their paces.

And while the gags were great, the musical performances were even better.

When you’ve soaked up a full day’s worth of entertainment, washed back with unlimited booze, the rooms offer a comfortable place to rest your head.

Ours, on the first floor of the main complex, had a large, comfy bed, a long vanity table, plenty of wardrobe space, a TV, a small sofa, an armchair and a large ensuite bathroom.

But its best feature was undoubtedly the balcony, which was the perfect spot for a pre-dinner tipple . . . or several (they’re free, after all).

And here are the other lesser-known holiday parks named among the best in the UK.

Meanwhile, these are easy ways to save money on a family holiday – some of them are even free.

Potters Resort

The resorts offer a range of different accommodation styles[/caption]

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Potters came higher than established names on the list of holiday parks[/caption]